Monsters

Discouragement is a monster. It pops out of the closet to scare you so bad that you’ll pee your pants. It hides under your bed and moves around so you cower in fear under your covers. The thing about this monster though, it doesn’t just wait till your darkest hour, late at night, lots of times he comes out in the middle of a sunny afternoon to just pick a fight and maybe cut you down a few notches.

I’ve found that discouragement comes in many, many forms. It doesn’t just come as someone doubting you, it comes as doubting yourself, harsh words, disbelief, self loathing, believing that other people are better than you, the fear of failure, the fear of the unknown, doubting that good things will happen to you and the list could go on and on and on.

Through the course of my life I have found myself discouraged, way more than I should be and you know why? It’s because I used to suffer from super bad anxiety based out of my fear for practically everything ever in existence.

I would lie awake at night fearful that I wouldn’t wake up the next morning, for no particular reason either, just because I didn’t know. Like am I a lunatic? Yep, basically, because that’s really silly.

I think that I’ve decided that instead of being utterly terrified of the monster under my bed, I’m going to pull a “Boo” from Monsters Inc. and just walk right up to that bad boy and conquer him with my joy. After all, what do we really have to be afraid of?

Ok, so that’s all fine and dandy right? Deciding to conquer your discouragement, but how do you go about doing that; words are nice (I’m a writer, I adore words) but lets be honest actions are better.

First things first (im tha reeelist) Galatians 5:1 that sucker. Take your stand.

Galatians 5:1 (MSG)

“Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.”

Then after you do that. Renew your mind.

Ephesians 4:23 (ESV)

“And to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,”

Finally, do this. Put on love.

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

There it is the stuff that will help you look your monster in the eye, grab him by the paw, and give him a hug.

Having courage doesn’t mean you’re lacking in fear, it means you are able to look at your fear and decide to overcome it.

Romans 8:37 (ESV)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

There it is folks, lets pull a “boo!” Instead of being terrified because of your discouragements, look at them and see it as an exercise to build your faith and be excited to see how God is going to show up this time.

Now, lets all listen to some old school worship jams, “your love never fails, it never gives up,” you know? Have a phenomenal rest of the week; go conquer your discouragement with holy anticipation and excitement. You’re amazing. Now, go kill it! *insert hair flip*